Shock absorber



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Feb. 8, 1938.

| BEcHERr-:Au ET AL 2,107,974

SHOCK ABSORBER Filed May 1o, 1935 4 sheetsPsheet 2 IMLI! l.. BECHE'REAU ET AL Feb. 8, 1938.

SHOCK ABSORBER l Filed May 1o, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ,v4/Mraz' lign/ Mfg fil-

Fell 8, 1938 l.. BEcHr-:REAU ET Al. 2,107,974

SHOCK ABSORBER Filed May l0, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Egf. f6'.

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0M M @a /Zbmg gf/** auf d Patented Feb.. 8, 1938 SHOCK ABSORBEB Louis Bchereau and Ren Carroue, Paris, France Application May 1o, 1935, serial No. 20,857 v In France November 29, 1934 v 9 Claims.

'Ihe present invention concerns a rectilinear hydraulic shock absorber of the double acting type, that is to say adapted to brake the relative displacements in both directions, as well during vthe compression as during the expansion of the springs with which it is associated.

'Ihe shock absorber according to the invention includes orifices which serve to brake the relative displacements in opposite directions.

l0 These orifices are located at the upper part of the cylinder, that is to say in a position where they can be reached without diiliculty and the resistance opposed to the passage of the liquid can be adjusted from the outside of the cylinder after a minimum number of operations, by screwing or unscrewing a threaded plug, for instance.

The shock absorber according to the present invention consists of a double acting pump which works in a closed circuit and which discharges go liquid from a reservoir, this liquid iiowing, always in the same direction, through the orlce, or oriiices, of the braking device, whatever be the direction of displacement of the piston.' When the spring expands, the piston proper acts as a lift and force pump, while, when the springs are being compressed, the rod of this piston acts as a piston plunger.

As the absorption of the shocks is produced by the same means in both directions, the braking of thecompression and the braking of the expansion both dependupon a single adjustment acting on said means.

' Generally, the piston is provided only with the check valve for the flow of liquid which is necessary for the working of the pump, but said piston may also be provided with one or several orifices for exerting a supplementary braking action. In this case, the braking device provided at the upper end of the cylinder may be 40 brought into action only ior oscillations of large amplitude, small oscillations being simply braked. inthe known manner, by the orifices provided in the piston'.

In apparatus of the kind above referred to, and more generally in all telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers in which the oscillations are braked by the rectilinear movement of a piston in a cylinder filled with a liquid which is compelled to flow through small calibrated orifices, it is very important to avoid, as far as possible, leakage oi the liquid into the cylinder head along the piston rod. Now stuiilng boxes and similar devices used up to the present time do not comply with this requirement. In particular, with such devices, the bore through which the rod passes (Cl. 18S-88) quickly becomes oval and permits liquid. to leak instit.

According to the present invention, a scraping ring is inserted in the guidingv piece of the piston rod and the film of liquid that Amay still remain 5 along said rod is preferably subsequently wiped by a stufling box at the end ofthe cylinder head. This scraping" ring, mountedin theguiding piece with an axial and radial play, is elasticallyy pressed from all sides against the piston rod. 10 Preferably it consists of a ring split helically over the whole of its circumference, so as to exert the same elastic pressure in alll points of its surface of contact with the rod.

The provision of such a scraping ring is parf' 15 ticularly-advantageouswith shock absorbers of the specific type above` referred to, because, in these shock absorbers, the liquid moves in a closed circuit and thesmallest air bubble' penetrating into the cylinder may'have a detrimental action 20 upon the correct -working 'of the apparatus. Furthermore, the' scraping ring prevents liquid from being forced into the upper'chamber of the cylinder head through the play resulting from the wear and tear of the guiding member and from 25 consequently creating overpres'sur'es in this chamber, which would disturb the'operation of the apparatus. i

Other features of the present invention will' result from the following detailed description of some speclc embodiments thereof.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference tothe accompanying drawings, given merely by way of example,`and in which: 5

Fig. 1 is a vertical axial section, on the line 3 l-I of Fig. 4, ofa shock absorbing device according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View, on an enlarged scale, of the Abraking device provided at theupper end of the cylinder;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View, also on an enlarged scale, of the piston of the shock absorblng device; Y

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, but on the same scale as Figs. 2 and 3, of the lower part of the cylinder;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a modi- 'cation of the packing means of the yupper end of the cylinder; 50 Fig. 6 is a sectional view, analogous to Fig. 3, of a double acting piston, provided with a supplementary braking device;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view on the line 1-7 Aof Fig. 6;

rately, in. elevational view and in plan viewl respectively:

Fig. 12 shows the scraping ring open and developed;

Fig. 13 is an axial sectional view illustrating a` first arrangement for mounting the scraping ring inthe piston rod guiding sleeve;

Fig. 14 is asimilar view of another arrangement for the same purpose:

Fig. 15 is a sectional view on the line IS-IB ot Fig. 14.

Fig. 16 is a detail view on an -enlarged scale corresponding to the lower part of the casing of Fig.

' 8; and

. Fig. 17 is a sectionalview on the' line I1-I1 of Fig. 16.

The shock absorber shown in Fig. l includes, in a known manner, two parts, movable, with a translatory movement, with respect to each other, to wit: a lower part assembled through a pivoting connection I with one of the two elements of the system of suspension, for instance to the unsuspended part of a vehicle, and an upper part connected, through articulation 2, with the other als element of the system of suspension,` for instance the suspended part oi.' the vehicle in question.

The lower part of the shock absorber essentially comprises a cylindrical reservoir 3 closed at its upper part by a cap 4 and containing a cylinder 5 which is rigidly connected with reservoir 3 in coaxial relation therewith. The upper part of the shock absorber includes a cylindrical envelope 9 which coaxially surrounds reservoir 3, with a certain clearance space between them, and a piston rod 1 which extends. in a fluid tight manner, through cap 4 and which carries, at its lower end. a piston 3 adapted to slide in cylinder 5. The envelope 6 is removable and is fixed to support 39 through a screw 39.

'I'he lower chamber 9 of cylinder 5 communicates only with the annular space of reservoir 3 through a check valve I opening only in the upward direction. It communicates also with the upper chamber Il o! cylinder through one or several conduits I2 provided in piston 8 and controlled by an annular check valve I3. A spring I4 tends to constantly apply this check valve I3 against its seat (Fig. 3).

Reservoir 3 and cylinder 5 are both closed at their upper end by plug 4 which is screwed in cylinder 3 with a suitable packing device interposed therebetween. In Fig. 2, this device'con-4 sists of a metallo-plastic joint I5 which is crushed between plug 4 and a ring I6 maintained in position in reservoir 3 by an elastic ring I1 which engages into an annular groove I3 of this reservoir.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, reservoir 3 is provided with an inwardly projecting annular part I9, so that ring I6 is unnecessary, joint I5 being, in this case, crushed directly between cap 4 and projection I9 of the reservoir.

Member 4 is given the shape of a cup the bottom of which is provided with a hole for piston rod 1. A stumng box, consisting preferably of flat annular elements 20 of an elastic material such as india-rubber separated from one another by metallic annular elements 2| and compressed against the bottom 22 of member 4 by a spring 23, is adapted to prevent leakage of liquid along said piston rod l.

In the joint for assembling plug 4 with cylinder 5, there are provided one or several discharge grooves 31 adapted to permit air to escape when the apparatus is started.

The adjustable braking device is wholly localized in plug 4. It comprises one or several conduits such as 24, 24a provided in the plug and controlled by an annular valve 2 5. A threaded ring 26, the upper face of which supports spring 23, is screwed in plug 4 and compresses above valve 25 a Belleville washer 21. Ring 26 and washer 21 constitute the device for adjusting the shock absorber.

The braking conduits connect the upper chamber -II of cylinder 5 with the lower part of reservoir 3 through one or several vertical tubes 28 the function of which will be hereinafter explained. In-the case of a single tube 28, the latter may be given an oval or elongated cross section as shown at 28a, in Fig. 7a, inorder to increase the rate of flow therethrough while reducing the space occupied in the radial direction.

The bottom 29 of reservoir 3 is provided with a plug 30 for illling it or emptying it, and the upper plug 4 is provided with a conduit 3l normally closed by a screw 32 and which serves chiey to evacuate air when the apparatus is filled with liquid.

- In the modiilcation shown in Figs. 6 and il, piston 3 includes, besides the orifices I2 and check valve I3, one or several supplementary 'braking calibrated orices 33 provided with an annular check valve 34 acting in a direction opposite to the direction of action of check valve I3 and accordingly disposed on the lower face of the piston. This valve 34 is devised in the same manner as theV chief braking check valve 25, that is to say it is maintained by a Belleville washer 35 adjustable through a threaded ring 36. In order to permit check valves I3 and 34 to work independently, passages I2 and braking conduits 33 are disposed around the axis of the piston on concentric circles of different diameters respectively (Fig. 7).

When chambers 9 and I I are wholly lled with liquid and annular reservoir 3 is partly filled, up to a certain level (any level'whatever), the operation of the shock absorber above described takes place as follows:

First period-Reduction of length of the apparatus (compression of the springs).

The check valve I9 closes the lower passage between chamber 9 and reservoir 3. A portion.

of the liquid of chamber 9 passes into the upper chamber II through the conduits I2 of the piston, lifting check valve I3 from its seat. Due to the displacement oi' the piston 8, the volume in cylinder 5 available for the liquid decreases by an amount equal to the volume of the portion of rod 1 that has entered into the cylinder. A pressure is therefore established therein which depends upon the section of this rod. It opposes the downward movement of this rod and rises until it is suflicient for lifting valve 25 from its seat. The liquid the flow of which is thus tially the same pressure as in the flrst period,

above described.

Since the pressures are substantially the same for both periods, the braking etorts in' the two respective periods of operation of the shock absorber (compression and expansion) are in a ratio equal to the ratio of the cross section of the piston rod 1 and of the annular surface of piston 8. This ratio has therefore a constant value 'for a given shock absorber, and it is practically independent of the braking pressure, that is to say of the adjustment of valve 25. -Consequently, it is sufllcient to ac t on said valve 25 for adjusting both the braking during the compression stroke and the braking during the expansion stroke.

During both of these strokes, the liquid discharged through the braking orlflces 24--24a is fed back to the lower part of reservoir 8 through one or several tubes 28 (a single tube 28 is shown in the drawings). The function of tube 28 is to prevent the liquid escaping from valve 25 from forming an emulsion with the air that is present in the upper part of reservoir 3 before it ows, under the action of gravity, down to the lower part of the apparatus. The adiunction of tube 28 eliminates any trace of air in the closed circuit through which the liquid ows.

In supplement to this function, tube 28 prevents beating of check valve 25 and renders the ilow of liquid more regular since it avoids any sudden variation of the hydraulic pressure at the outlet of the valve.

When there is provided in the piston an auxiliary braking device (embodiment o1' Figs. 6 and 7), the small oscillations of the apparatus are braked by means of check valve 84, when the spring expands, the braking check valve 25 being brought. into play only when `the amplitude of the oscillations becomes relatively considerable so that the section o1' flow through oriilces 33 is 5 no longer suiilcient for permitting the liquid displaced between chambers 8 `and to pass therethrough.

In order to lll the apparatus with liquid it suiiices to remove screw 39 and cap 6 and` to Aunscrew the whole of plug 4. -Ii it is desired to avoid these operations when the apparatus is in service, it is also possible to inject the liquid by means of a syringe through the ori-nce of plug `3|) after having removed said plug and also screw 82.

The shock absorber above described can be adjusted in the following manner:

After having unscrewed screw 88 and removed the protective cap 6, screw 82 is removed, the

3 lid 22 of plug 4 is unscrewed and the stumng box rings 20 and 2| are removed. Spring 23 is removed. It suffices to screw or unscrew threaded ring 26 for adjusting at will the pressure exerted by the Belleville washer 21 on valve 25.

In the embodiment of Fig. 8, in order to protect envelope against deterioration and deformation which might result in its being brought into frictional contact with the outer surface of reservoir 3, the lower portion of this envelope is corrugated.4 as shown at 5a. Of course an envelope of this shape can be used in all embodiments of the invention.

'In this embodiment of Fig. 8, this tube 28 is surrounded by a collar 41a integral with the seat 41 of check valve I8, and the portion of nular channel 80 and said tube 28 below collar 41a engages one of vthree radial notches formed in the wall of the bottom part 48 of reservoir 3 so as to give -a circumferential ilxedness to said tube 28 and said seat 41; on the other hand, a distortion of the seat 41 is prevented.

However, in order to prevent air bubbles that pass eventually through tube 28 from entering cylinder 5, said tube is throttled so as to be 'closed at 48, slightly above the level of seat 41 and the' liquid from tube 28 passes into reservoir 3 through one or several orifices `5|) (Fig. 8) provided in said tube 28 above the throttledpart 49 thereof.

When passing through the head 4 of the cylinder, the rod 1 oi' the piston is guided by a sleeve 5| (Fig. 9). In an annular groove or recess provided in the inner face oi' this sleeve a packing ring 52 is inserted. This ring 52 is shownl separately in Figs. and l1. Said ring is applied by its own elasticity against rod 1. On the contrary, the packing ring is provided with a certain play in its housing with respect to sleeve 5|, as well in the direction of the axis of the apparatus As shown in Fig. 12, in which the ring 52 is developed, said ring is obtained from a metal band having the shape of an elongated parallelogram abcd the shorter diagonal bd of whichis at right angles to the parallel sides ab and cd. This metal band abcd is wound into a circular shape, the apex a. coming against the apex b, aad the apex c coming against the apex d (Fig.

It will be readily understood that the packing ring thus constituted is applied against rod 1 nth an elastic force which is the same in all ints, which is very important for ensuring liquid-tightness as perfect as possible.

In order to permit the insertion of ring 52 into v its annular housing of sleeve 5|, we may use, for instance, either of the arrangements shown in Figs, 13 to 15. -In the case of Fig. 13, the sleeve is made ofv two parts 5| and Bla, the latter being introduced with a force ilt into the main piece 5| after the packing ring 52 has been inserted in position. v

In the other case (Figs. 14 and 15), sleeve 5| is made of a single piece, but it is thicker than in the ilrst case and it is out away at 53 so as to permit of inserting the packing ring laterally. The sleeve is then introduced with a force lt into the cylinderI head in such manner that the recess 53 is closed in a liquid-tight manner.

Above sleeve 5|, the cylinder head contains a packing deviceincluding a piece 54 of rubber or another plastic material which is kept applied against the lid 22 by a metallic ring 56 bearing agairusa shoulder 51 oi' head 4. 'I'his annular piece is provided, on the outer side, with an annular groove in. which is inserted a circular coil spring 58\which constantly applies the inner' face of piece 54 against rod 1.

The liquid that has been scraped along the rod by piece 54 flows through vertical conduit 59, an-

conduit 8| and is thus fed back to reservoir 3.

IIhereiore,` for practical purposes, leakage of liquid is 'rendered impossible byxuthe arrangement above described.

While 'we have, in the above description, disclosed what we deem to be practical and eiiicient embodiments of the present invention, it should be well understood that we do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in as in the transverse direction.

the arrangement, disposition and form of theqyg parts without departing fromthe principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is: v l

n 1. A shock absorber for use in connection with a suspension including two parts movable with respect to each other, which comprises, Vin combination, a cylinder illled with liquid, a reservoir containing. liquid, rigid with said cylinder, means for mechanically connecting both said cylinder and s'aid reservoir with one of the parts of the suspension, means for permitting :said liquid to ow in a closed circuit through said reservoir and said cylinder, in series, only in the upward direction through the cylinder and in the downward direction through the reservoir, the

' upper end of said cylinder being provided with -passages ofrestricted section of flow extending between said y cylinder and said reservoir, i'or braking the iiow of liquid therethrough, means in said cylinder operatively connected with the other part of said suspension for forcing liquid through these braking passages whatever be the direction of the relative displacements of said two parts of the suspension with respect to each other, and means for adjusting the iiow through said passages. v

2. A shock absorber for use in connection with a suspension including two parts movable with respect to each other, which comprises', in combination, a cylinder filled with liquid, a reservoir containing liquid, rigid with said cylinder, means for mechanically connecting both said cylinder and said reservoir with one of said parts of thesuspension, a check valve opening in the upward direction interposed between the lower part of said cylinder and the lower part of said reservoir, a seat for said check valve carried by the lower part of said cylinder, the upper end of said cylinder being provided with passages of restricted section ci' ilow extending between said cylinder and said reservoir, for braking the flow of the liquid from the upper part of the cylinder to the upper part of said reservoir, means for preventing liquid from flowing through said passages from the reservoir to the cylinder, a piston movable in said cylinder provided with a conduit exrespect to the cylinder.

tending therethrough, a check valve cooperating with said conduit opening in the upward direction, a piston rod rigid with said piston and extending through the upperend of said cylinder, means for operatively connecting said piston rod with the other part of the suspension, and means for adjusting the section of ow through said passages.

3. A shock absorber according to claim 2 in which said reservoir coaxially surrounds said cylinder, further including a tube connecting :aid braking passages at the upper end of the cylinder with the lower part of said reservoir.

./ 4. A shock absorber according to claim 2 in which said piston' is further provided with supplementary braking passages and a check valve adapted to cooperate with said passages opening in a downward direction adapted to work for displacements of small amplitude of the piston with 5. A shock absorber according to claim 2 further including a sleeve, carried by the upper end oi' said cylinder so as to surround the piston rod, provided with a housing, an elastic scraping ring mounted in said housing and surrounding said piston rod so as to be evenly applied against it over its whole circumference, a packing member surrounding said rod and an annular coil spring for applying said packing member against said piston rod.

6. A shock absorber according to claim 2 in which said reservoir coaxially surrounds said cylinder, further including at least one tube communicating at the upper end thereof with said braking passages at the` upper end oi' the cylinder, a collar rigid with said seat surrounding said tube at'its lower end, said tube extending down to a level below said collar, the lower part of the wall-` of said reservoir being provided with a radial notch adapted to accommodate the por.- tion of said tube located below said collar, so as to angularlyilx said seat in position with respect to said reservoir, said tube being closed near its lower end by throttling above the level of said collar and being provided with at least one outlet oriiice in its wall located immediately above said throttled portion, whereby the liquid flowing down through said tube issues therefrom at ay level above that of said collar.

7. A shock absorber according to claim 2 iurther including an envelope rigid with said piston and surrounding both said cylinder and said reservoir, the lower portion of said envelope being corrugated so as to avoid deformation thereof.

8. A shock absorber for use in connection with a suspension including two parts movable with respect to each other, which comprises, in combination, a cylinder lled with a liquid operatively connected with one of the parts of the suspension, means, operatively connected with the other part oi' the suspension, movable in said cylinder, for braking the relative displacements of these two parts of the suspension with respect to each other, a rod connected with said'means extending through one end of said cylinder parallel to the axis thereof, a guiding sleeve, carried by the upper end of said cylinder so as to surround said rod, provided with a housing, and an elastic scraping ring mounted in said housing and surrounding said rod, vsaid sleeve being cut away transversely so as to permit of inserting said ring in said housing.

9. In a structure including a container lled with a liquid and a rod extending through the wall of said container, the combination of a guiding member for said rod carried by said wall, said member being provided with an annular recess surrounding said rod, and a ring consisting of a parallellogram-shaped metal band wound in an elastic manner so as to form a split ring mounted in said recess with a certain playboth in the longitudinal and transverse directions, tightly applied in an elastic manner around said rod, whereby said liquid is prevented from leaking out from said container in spite of wear and tear of said guiding member, the bore of which may become larger than the cross section oi' said rod, owing to the cooperation, with the transverse faces of said recess, of said ring.

LOUIS BECHEREAU. REN CARROUE. 

